Mental Health
THIS IS NOT A CRISIS SERVICE
If crisis assistance is required, please call 000, the New South Wales Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Below you can browse the free mental health services available across Northern Sydney.
Whether you’re looking for support for yourself or someone you know, these services can be used directly or referred to by health professionals to help connect people with the care that best meets their needs.
Sydney North Health Network has commissioned a range of services to assist people experiencing mental illness or a mental health problem. For further information on available services listed below, please contact Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212 (Mon-Fri, 8:30am – 5:00pm, except public holidays).
Which service should I use?
| Scenario / Patient Need | Service | Key Details | Access | Referral Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not in crisis and needs mental health assessment, support or referral | Medicare Mental Health (1800 595 212) | Assessment, care navigation and referral. Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:00pm. | Call 1800 595 212 | Self-referral or clinician referral. Call 1800 595 212, email referral form, or Healthlink EDI: nsydmmhc. |
| High risk or urgent assessment required | NSW Mental Health Line (1800 011 511) | 24/7 crisis and acute mental health triage service. | Call 1800 011 511 | No referral required. Access available 24/7. Learn more about the service here. |
| Mental health concerns | Medicare Mental Health Check In | Free support for people 16+; up to 6 sessions; online, phone or face-to-face. | Call 1800 595 212 | Via Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212. |
| Stress, anxiety or depression management | Managing Emotions | Six-week group program teaching evidence-based emotional wellbeing skills. | Self-referral or online referral | Direct referral or online referral form. |
| Mild to moderate mental health concerns and financial hardship | Access Plus | Short-term psychological therapy; up to 8 hours support (12 via suicide prevention pathway). | Referral through Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212 | GP or specialist referral via Medicare Mental Health. Requires MMH referral form, Mental Health Treatment Plan and outcome measures. |
| Refugees and asylum seekers | Psychological Therapies (STARTTS) | Trauma-informed individual and group therapy. | (02) 9646 6800 | Direct referral via (02) 9646 6800. |
| Practical, non-clinical support and community connections | Lifeline Connect | Support with loneliness, housing, financial stress, caring responsibilities and life changes. | No referral required. Access the service here. | No referral required. Learn more about the service here. |
| Young people aged 12-25 | Headspace Brookvale & Chatswood | Mental health, AOD, sexual health and employment support. | Contact Headspace directly here. | Referral form, (02) 9937 6500 (Brookvale) or (02) 8021 3668 (Chatswood), or via respective Headspace email addresses. |
| Young people needing Dialectical Behaviour Therapy support | DBT Youth Groups & Individual Therapy | Individual and group DBT programs for emotional regulation and coping skills. | Self-referral through Spencer Health | Direct or self-referral. Email enquiries@spencerhealth.com.au or call 1300 779 243. |
| Residential aged care residents | Mental Health in Residential Aged Care Facilities | Short to medium-term psychological therapy for mild to moderate mental health concerns. | Grand Pacific Health referral | Direct referral: 1300 111 278. |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | Caber-ra Nanga | Culturally safe mental health care coordination and support. | Self-referral, direct referral or Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212 | Direct referral: 0423 303 864 or via Medicare Mental Health. |
| Expectant and new parents | Perinatal Mental Health (Gidget Foundation) | Support for perinatal anxiety, depression, stress, birth trauma and pregnancy loss. | Contact Gidget Foundation | Direct referral: 1300 443 438 or online referral form. |
| Severe or complex mental health challenges | Uniting Youth & Adult Mental Health Services | Clinical care coordination, case management, therapy and family support. | Direct or Medicare Mental Health referral on 1800 595 212 | Direct referral: 1800 937 776 or via Medicare Mental Health. |
| Severe mental illness requiring recovery support | Psychosocial Support Service | Recovery-focused support for daily living, social connection and service access. | Mission Australia referral | Direct referral or online referral form. Artarmon: 9480 2560; Hornsby: 9480 2500. |
How to Refer to Medicare Mental Health (for Health Professionals)
General Practitioners and others who previously referred to the SNHN Mental Health Triage Line should now direct referrals to Medicare Mental Health (MMH), using any of the following:
- Phone: 1800 595 212 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am – 5:00pm, except public holidays)
- Email: nswintake@pccs.org.au
- HealthLink EDI: nsydmmhc
- Referral form (PDF)
- Referral form (RTF template for Best Practice and Medical Director)
- Important: Do not open or view this template before importing into your clinical software. Opening the template in Word or your internet browser will corrupt the file, requiring you to download it again. You will need to right-click, copy and save or drag the .RTF template onto your desktop. Please read the instructions below on importing .RTF templates into Best Practice and Medical Director.
- Instructions for importing templates into Best Practice
- Instructions for importing templates into Medical Director
- Important: Do not open or view this template before importing into your clinical software. Opening the template in Word or your internet browser will corrupt the file, requiring you to download it again. You will need to right-click, copy and save or drag the .RTF template onto your desktop. Please read the instructions below on importing .RTF templates into Best Practice and Medical Director.
To Note
- The NSW Mental Health Line remains the pathway for urgent and crisis care
- Access to SNHN-commissioned services continues via referral
- You may still refer directly to known providers where appropriate (e.g. via LinkUp)